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Friday April 27, 2018

Editor’s Note — TRO wants to remind its Travelgram readers the articles presented here are meant to assist you in remaining informed and prepared to discuss travel news of the day with clients.

Destinations

Despite Violence, Tourism Is Strong in Mexican Resort Areas
Travelers continue to book trips to Cancún and the Riviera Maya, where homicides have prompted authorities to increase security. Travelers have not been targeted in these crimes, but a bomb that detonated in February on a ferry linking Playa del Carmen with the island of Cozumel, a popular cruise port, injured more than two dozen passengers, including…

Kauai After Devastating Storm: What's Open, What's Closed
Hawaii tourism officials want visitors to know that Kauai's North Shore is open for business, though some roads and resorts remain closed after disastrous, record-shattering rains flooded the area in mid-April. The powerful storm dropped 28 inches of rainfall during a 24-hour period on April 14-15. On Tuesday, the County of Kauai issued this update on…

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Tours and Activities

50 State Road Trip: Best Museum in Each State
Few institutions stamp the cultural identity of a nation, region, or city like museums. Whether they are venerable sites such as the Art Institute of Chicago, whimsical venues like the Kazoo Museum in South Carolina, or contemplative places like the Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta, museums have become sources of civic…

Notes From the Underground: Subterranean Sites Lure Travelers
Some of the best travel destinations are literally just below our feet, says David Farley, author of Underground Worlds: A Guide to Spectacular Subterranean Places. The new book, to be released May 15, includes dozens of buried marvels from bunkers to mines to hotels. “Every one of these are kind of a wonder in a way. They were either formed by nature or man, and they’re…

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Cruise

How To Stay Thin When Cruising
It's pizza and croissants and desserts, Oh My! There's nothing like luxury cruising. But as my husband Bill would tell you, "There's a cookie around every corner." It's absolutely no fun to disembark a ship when you're 10 pounds heavier than when you got on. Let's face it, when you travel -- even in lavish luxury -- your diet-and-fitness routine usually takes its own…

Getting to Grips With a 40ft Cruise Ship Surf Simulator
It’s hard to think of anything that better encapsulates the spirit of Royal Caribbean than the FlowRider surfing experience. Synonymous with innovation and fun, the cruise line offers a raft of on-board activities, but none quite so iconic as its 40ft-long surf simulator. The best thing of all is that anybody can do…

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Transportation

Air Canada Offers to Help Passengers Stranded by a Possible Pilot Strike
Air Canada has turned the tables on WestJet by taking advantage of labour uncertainty at its Calgary rival with a suggestion that it is ready pick up the slack in the event WestJet’s pilots decide to strike. The Montreal-based airline said the public may feel anxious about potential labour disruption after WestJet pilots announced they are beginning a 15-day voting period to give its negotiators a strike…

This Airline Took a Year to Perfect Its In-Flight Breakfast Tacos
In the latest airlines news, United is finally making breakfast tacos at 30,000 feet a reality—a move that's apparently been over a year in the making. Seriously. Earlier this afternoon, the airline announced that they're beefing up their in-flight Choice Menu, and one of the new additions is, in fact, breakfast tacos. An airplane isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you're craving Mexican food.…

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Lodging

What Does the Ban on Airbnb-Style Rentals in Palma Mean for the Balearics?
Following the recent announcement of a ban on short-term flat rentals in Palma, Majorca, there has been much polemic about that the impact the new legislation may have on future tourism – both in the Balearics and Spain as a whole. In 2016, more than four million Britons visited the Balearics, an increase of 7.5 per cent on the previous year, some of whom will have inevitably opted for rental properties via online holiday…

Farm-to-Hotel: 10 Resorts That Grow Their Own Food
In a world where farm-to-table has become a catchphrase, hotels around the USA and the rest of North America are joining the movement with their own produce-rich gardens and farms. These 10 hotels are upping the freshness ante, hoping guests will appreciate the quality of house-grown vegetables and their lighter carbon footprints during their…

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Other and Odd

The Drawbridge You Can Cross in Two Seconds
It takes an average of two seconds to cross Bermuda’s Somerset Bridge by car – sneeze and you might miss it. With an opening just 56cm wide, the world's smallest drawbridge is large enough to accommodate the mast of a sailboat. Yet the bridge, which links the southern tip of Somerset Island to Sandys Parish on the south-western shore of the main island, once saved Bermuda’s residents up to three hours in travel…

She's Trying to Be the First Black Woman to Visit Every Country
But for Jessica Nabongo, a UN employee turned travel blogger, becoming the first black woman to visit every country on Earth isn't just about getting her name in a record book -- it's about paving the way for women and people of color to do the same. Nabongo was born in Detroit to Ugandan parents and holds two passports.…

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Today in History

The Death of Magellan
Fernao de Magalhaes, better known in English as Ferdinand Magellan convinced the Spanish King to finance the quest for an western route to the Indonesian Islands. On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail. It took him over a year of sailing the Atlantic and then southward along the coast of South America before he came upon the straights that now bear his name at the tip of the continent. They sailed for five months through the Pacific, so named by his crew because during that time they did not encounter a single…

Agent Perspectives

Seaweed, A Giant Peach, Spitfires and Bluebells
by Paull Tickner
Thursday April 26, 2018

If you like customising UK tours, take a look at some of the exciting travel experiences that can be blended into tailor made tours for families, pre or post cruise extensions and imaginatively themed special interest tours. These and other bright ideas will transform your itineraries and help you impress your clients with your knowledge and connections.

Putting together these and other pieces of the Great British Jigsaw Puzzle is what I do as I transform your wish list into a unique "travel less, see more" value added UK tour...

Starting with a Seaweed Festival and a Giant Peach, here we…

  — Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »

Mike's Morning Missives

Same Old, Same Old: 1987 Revisited

The newsletter I picked up while cleaning a box I found in my basement read The Marketing Communications. It was dated 1987 and was written by a man named Pete Silver.

The title of this particular edition was 99 Ways To Out-Market Your Competition. It was written nearly thirty years ago. I read each numbered entry with great…

  — Travel Research Online
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Deck Plans

Seven Ways That Riviera Seeks To Stand Out

In summing up my introductory three-night river cruise on the m/s Robert Burns, two words come to mind: pleasantly surprised. Robert Burns is one of a  dozen ships operated by the U.K.’s Riviera Travel, which only recently began marketing Riviera River Cruises to North American travelers.

You’re not alone if you find yourself scratching your head about the company’s name. Why would a river cruise operator choose a name that brings to mind France’s sun-drenched Côte d’Azur? The explanation: Riviera Travel began operating in the U.K. more than three decades ago by offering getaways to the French Riviera, hence the name. One reassuring fact about the name is that Riviera has years of experience in accommodating…

  — Travel Research Online
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TRO and The Travel Institute Scholarship Program

TRO believes ongoing training is important to the health of the travel professional. Therefore, we have partnered with The Travel Institute to assist travel agents to earn their Certified Travel Associate designation. TRO will be awarding a $100 scholarship to at least one attendee of TRO webinars each webinar. If you want to be considered for the scholarship you need only to register here:

http://www.thetravelinstitute.com/troscholarship/

and then attend TRO’s webinars. Winners will be selected and notified immediately after each webinar!


Upcoming Training Opportunities


Following the footsteps of Darwin in Patagonia

Following the footsteps of Darwin in Patagonia

Thursday, May 10, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT

Visit Patagonia and explore the old stomping grounds of world-famous naturalist, scientist and author, Charles Darwin.

Register Now ➠


Why Flanders-Belgium should be among the top destinations in 2018

Why Flanders-Belgium should be among the top destinations in 2018

Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT

Join us for this webinar about Flanders-Belgium and learn why it should be among the top destinations your clients can visit in 2018. Located in the north of Belgium, Flanders manages to surprise visitors with a huge range of opportunities for culture, gastronomy, nightlife, shopping, art, architecture and cycling. Flanders encompasses the art cities of Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent, Mechelen and Leuven.

Register Now ➠


Auckland: Where all good New Zealand vacations begin

Auckland: Where all good New Zealand vacations begin

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT

As North America’s leading Destination Specialist Wholesaler, Down Under Answers recognizes the importance for travel agents to recommend Auckland to their clients when traveling to New Zealand.

Register Now ➠


Get to Know the newly renovated Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort

Get to Know the newly renovated Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort

Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT

Grand Sirenis Punta Cana is a five star, all-inclusive, family oriented hotel, located just 45 minutes from the Punta Cana International Airport and 20 minutes from downtown Bavaro. Our 1300 ft. stretch of white sand and turquoise waters along the Uvero- Alto beach is the epitome of paradise, with countless lounge chairs scattered amongst the palm trees. This breathtaking property is decorated with lush, vibrant gardens and boasts one of the largest water parks in the area, Sirenis Aquagames, as part of the all-inclusive package!

Register Now ➠



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Use TRO every day to find travel guides, e-postcards, and other resources you can personalize and send to your clients.

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